Brake Bleed tool (Page 2/2)
Dennis LaGrua MAR 23, 04:19 PM
I am not a proponent of the break caliper swap but it seems to be getting harder and harder to purchase stock Fiero calipers. Has anyone tried looking at Wilwood calipers for a direct substitute?

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"THE COLUSSUS"
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" ON THE LOOSE WITHOUT THE JUICE "

hunter29 MAR 23, 06:04 PM
What do you mean by swap? With non gm part?
Mike in Sydney MAR 23, 06:19 PM
In answer to your question, I use a Mityvac MV8000 vacuum pump. It comes in a kit with all the fittings a you need to vacuum bleed your brakes. As Patrick said, the biggest challenge will be loosening steel bleeders which have corroded/seized inside of aluminum calipers. When you get the old bleed nipples out, you may want to replace them with speed bleeders. They make brake bleeding a 1-person job.
hunter29 MAR 23, 07:04 PM
Thanks I will check them both out..
AsaBergman MAR 24, 07:04 AM
I used the cheap green vacuum bleeder available at Autozone on the Fiero and it worked perfect. It has survived being used to bleed the brakes on three cars so far so I'd say it was well worth whatever I paid.
reinhart MAR 24, 07:18 AM

quote
Originally posted by hunter29:

Got it... but now thinking since they are original OEM maybe I should replace them with rebuilt , and do the flex lines while I’m at it.

The car did sit in storage since 1991, the breaks are ok but not great, a little soft..

Opinions and advice please.



Personally never have been able to get a rebuilt caliper that worked well. I had one rear caliper I swapped out and I got a lifetime warranty on and it kept leaking and failing every year or so. The other three calipers never failed while that one kept going out. I now have enough OEM calipers to last a lifetime even with 3 88's. I bought like 5 sets of NOS fronts from calipersonline a decade ago and have a couple sets of used spare rears. I would never want to get auto store rebuilt caliper again.

I did have one bleeder break off on an 88 rear and was able to weld a nut on and get it off finally. There's a thread somewhere in the archives from that ordeal.

[This message has been edited by reinhart (edited 03-24-2021).]

css9450 MAR 24, 07:38 AM
Are the '84-'87 Fiero calipers unique to the Fiero, or do other GM cars use them also? I'd always assumed the latter but cross-referencing the part numbers on Rock Auto just now they don't list any other cars using those parts.

As for brake bleeding: I've always gravity-bled my Fiero. It's an '88 but I don't think that matters. For the rears, I lower the rear end of the car so its about an inch above the ground just to give the downhill flow a little more motivation.
hunter29 MAR 24, 05:51 PM
Thanks guys, looking around and not finding OEM calipers. Thinking of keeping mine and replaceing with after market, but what brand and can i get them new ?

I haven’t Done a brake job in years so I’m learning again..
PatrickTRoof MAR 25, 03:34 PM
I've got the one way bleeder screws on all 4 corners on my "85 GT. They make bleeding brakes a breeze.
theogre MAR 25, 05:45 PM
Gravity bleeding does work most times. May take a very long time if you replace long hard lines.

To make fluid go thru tubes on bleeder "screws..."
Take bleeders out and lube threads w/ Brake Grease. That act as sealer and lube later when done.
Any scrap hose can work but if can get them, O2 hoses from hospital etc works very well. One end has a plastic "fitting" that hold most size of bleeders on cars and trucks.

If you vacuum bleed then lubing bleeder is often required or too much air goes thru the threads.

Note: Vacuum bleed "kits" often break before used again for most DIY. Also Vac Hand pumps, even best ones from MityVac, can get wrecked when sucks in brake fluid, oil, etc.
So don't spend a lot on them.

Pumping the pedal has problem, most so if MC has problem.

See my Cave, Brake Service

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Dr. Ian Malcolm: Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should.
(Jurassic Park)


The Ogre's Fiero Cave